5 Questions: Leah Remini Talks ‘The Talk’

Leah Remini can talk up a storm. Outspoken, honest and hilarious, it’s also why she’ll likely be the break-out personality on the new CBS daytime talk show premiering Monday.

The former ‘King of Queens‘ star is developing a new sitcom with the network, and she’s also front and center as one of the six co-hosts of ‘The Talk.’

The somewhat crowded slate of panelists includes Remini, Julie Chen, Sharon Osbourne, Holly Robinson Peete, Marissa Jaret Winokur, and Sara Gilbert, who also serves as executive producer, as they tackle hot topics and current events, but from a “mother’s perspective.”

I spoke with Leah Remini about gabbing, her new gal pals and getting beyond comparisons to ‘The View.’

On the Co-Hosts Chemistry:

“If we get along, that’s great, if we don’t get along, I think that’s great too. Either way it will be good for the show.”

On What Each Host Brings to the Table:

“I would consider myself—and this might sound weird—but the compassionate one. Yes, really. Sharon will be the ball buster. I think Sara is … she’s very conservative. Holly, she’s the sexy one because she’s got the good arms and stuff. Marissa is funny and bubbly, and I think Julie will surprise people.”

On Comparisons to ‘The View’:

“I don’t understand it, we’re not even against them. Like Sara [Gilbert] said, you wouldn’t compare David Letterman to Jay Leno, and go, ‘you trying to do Jay Leno?'”

“‘The View’ is ‘The View,’ we are who we are. We can only hope to be on as long as ‘The View’ has been on.”

On the Show Being Not Just for Mommies:

“It’s not just about moms, it really isn’t. It’s really about relationships. Whether that is a relationship with your husband, with your lover, it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter if you’re gay or straight, a relationship is a relationship.”

“And you mine all kinds of things to talk about from your relationships, which I’ll bring to the show. Like, I go to my sister in Minnesota … who’s extremely religious. An extreme Christian. I have another friend in Jersey who’s Catholic … they are TV watchers. And they’re moms. They watch talk shows. So I go to them. I don’t go to my celebrity friends, because they don’t watch these shows. And if they do, I really don’t care about their opinion, I want to hear from real people.”

On If the Say-Anything Actress Is Worried About Discussing Her Husband on TV:

“That’s easy: no. I’m sure my husband wishes I was easy [laughs] … But here’s the thing, my husband Angelo is always going to dispute what I say. He’s like a man, it’s like this will happen, and it will be black and he’ll say it’s white.

“But I’m not worried. Because he’ll always say, if you have sex with me, I’ll forgive you. [laughs] So it’s all good.”

The Talk’ premieres Monday, October 18th on CBS, airing live at 2 p.m. EST/1 p.m. Central, and airing taped at 1 p.m. on the west coast.